Acorn Campground sits on the shore of New Hogan Lake, right outside the town of Valley Springs.
Within the Acorn Recreation Area on the North side of New Hogan Lake sits the Wrinkle Cove Day Use Area, the Hogan Reservoir Boat Ramp, Fiddleneck Day Use Area, New Hogan Dam Disc Golf Course, Acorn Campground and Oak Knoll campground. Coyote Point Group Campground is a bit past this area, and you can see the camps out on the point across the small alcove when at Acorn Campground.
New Hogan Lake is located in Calaveras County. I’ve spent some time in the county visiting places like Calaveras Big Trees State Park outside Arnold. I also want to see Mercer Caverns and the Moaning Caverns Adventure Park in Calaveras County.
Spending a Night at Acorn Campground at New Hogan Lake
It was a last-minute trip to Acorn Campground, and we found our site open on the Recreation.gov website. When others cancel, it’s an excellent idea to swoop up a reservation.
For the first time in a while, we traveled south from Sacramento to reach our camping destination.
It’s only an hour’s drive from our Oak Park home to New Hogan Lake, but we hit a car accident on Highway 99 (State Route 99). Instead of going straight down Highway 99, we had to re-route to Interstate 5 and cut across to Valley Springs.
As noted by many reviews online, once you make it to Acorn Campground, it can be confusing when driving around and hard to find specific sites. Keep an eye out for the brown placards sharing site numbers; you’ll see one-way signs posted throughout the campground.
We had to make a few quick loops around before we found the way to our site #107.
Site #107 at Acorn Campground
There are over 100 sites within the Acorn Campground, and I chose site #107 because of its view and proximity to New Hogan Lake.
As soon as we arrived, we popped our sunshade tent over the picnic table and found a spot to place our tent. We purchased another 6-person tent from Big 5 Sporting Goods as an option for car camping but found it wasn’t too difficult to set up on the first try.
One drawback to site #107 is limited flat and level ground, so our tent was situated on a slope.
Making up for the slanted space at site #107 was the incredible, expansive view of a large swatch of New Hogan Lake. At the end of the beautiful day, while cooking foil packs atop our campfire, it was delightful to watch sailboats pass by, skiers test their skills, and swimmers frolic closer to shore.
As the sun set, the lake continued to share its many layers of color before nightfall.
Swimming and Activities at New Hogan Lake
The lake was only a short walk down the mild cliffside at our campsite.
We heard from some that leeches could sometimes cling to swimmers after taking a dip in New Hogan Lake, but we didn’t let that scare us. We grabbed an inflatable raft, headed down the hill, explored the shores of the lake with water shoes, and paddled around.
Although we didn’t take a fully immersed swim in the lake, we didn’t come away with any leeches.
When climbing down to the lowered shore of the lake, it’s best to wear some sort of water shoe with an aggressive sole instead of flip-flops. The rocks are pretty jagged and sharp, and closed-toe shoes are helpful to keep you safe and free of cuts.
New Hogan Lake is owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and was created as an artificial lake for flood protection, electricity, farming and drinking water.
Family Ties and New Beginnings While Camping
After visiting the Acorn Campground, I found it was only 15 minutes from the town of San Andreas, where my Great Grandma and Grandpa are buried at the Peoples Cemetery.
While sharing new adventures with my husband and pup, I thought of my gratitude and the ability to explore California and this world. I thought of my lineage and those who’ve come before, all who play a part in making me who I am today.
If visiting Acorn Campground, there are flush toilets, but be sure to bring extra toilet paper; shortages occur often and regularly. Water spigots are also sprinkled throughout the camps, in addition to trash dumpsters and coin-operated showers.
